Final Ballad of a Miko
by purplefirestarter
Summary: Oneshot. With Naraku defeated, the Inuyasha gang is taking their time with finding the remaining jewel shards. But when danger approaches them, Inuyasha is forced to answer the age old question: Kagome or Kikyo? Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha


Okay, so this is my first fanfic (being posted hehe). Just R&R and when you're all done, let me know what ya think!

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A pair of amber eyes skimmed over the surface of the wooden well from high up in a tree. A foot impatiently began tapping on the branch and a growling sigh could be heard.

"Dammit, where is that wench? She's late!" Inuyasha snarled.

His claws scraped the surface of the Go-Shimboku as he waited impatiently for the person to return to him.

_But what if she decided not to come back?_ he thought in horror.

He shook his mane of silver hair. No, Kagome would never leave him just like that. She promised to stay by his side after all, and besides, Kagome wasn't one to break promises.

Suddenly, a flash of blue light could be seen from inside the well and Inuyasha perked up his dog ears. A smile flashing across his features before he hardened them into a scowl as a yellow backpack was thrown over the side of the well.

Kagome Higurashi grunted as she climbed up from the well, wishing that Inuyasha were here to carry her out like he usually did for her. But she was thankful that all of her Sengoku Jidai trips had built up her strength.

Inuyasha jumped from the tree down to the base of the well, glaring down it as he watched Kagome scramble up the side. He let out a chuckle and Kagome looked up.

"Could ya help me out here?" she whined.

"Keh, why should I? It's fun to watch you struggle," he laughed.

"Oh aren't you kind?" she snorted as her hand finally grasped the edge of the well and she let out a sigh of relief, hoisting herself over to sit on the ledge. She tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear and smiled at Inuyasha. He didn't return in, just tucked his arms in his haori sleeves and looked away.

"You're late," he hissed, still not looking at her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized sarcastically. "I didn't know that you ran my life."

He looked at her and scowled.

"You told me _three_ days bitch!" he yelled.

"And it's only been _four_! Stop acting like a baby!" she retorted.

"Keh, I am not!"

Kagome rolled her gray eyes and looked up at the sky.

"Looks like rain. Good thing I brought some umbrellas."

"Whatever, let's get back to the village," Inuyasha mumbled, turning and walking back toward Kaede's village.

"Wait!" the miko called out to him, slinging her large backpack over her shoulder and running after the hanyou. She caught up to him after he had stopped for her but then he resumed his brisk pace, Kagome panting to keep up.

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at her and saw that her backpack looked heavy.

"Here," he said flatly, taking the pack off her shoulders and slinging it over his own.

"Thanks," she said sheepishly.

The hanyou tried his best to hide the blush that rose on his cheeks. Sure, he liked helping Kagome whenever he could, but she always gave him that smile along with that tiny, embarrassed little 'thanks'. He loved and hated the butterflies that that little smile always gave him.

They talked every now and then on their way to the village, Kagome telling Inuyasha little things that happened at her house while she was away and Inuyasha telling Kagome the things that Miroku did to Sango, making Kagome giggle.

"He'll never learn, will he?"

"Keh, once a lecher, always a lecher."

"True," she agreed.

"KAGOME!" someone cried out, a tiny blue and orange blur flying toward Kagome, ramming straight into her chest. The girl almost lost her balance but steadied her one foot in the dirt as Shippo stared up at her with big green eyes. "I missed you!" he cried.

"I missed you too Shippo," she replied, kissing the top of his head.

"Inuyasha was being sucha meanie while you were gone!" he whined.

"Did he bop you in the head?" she asked sweetly.

"Mmhm. It really hurt!"

Kagome shot a look at Inuyasha, who just snorted and looked away.

"Don't worry Shippo, I have a special treat for you inside my backpack," Kagome looked down at the young kitsune.

"Ooh really?! What?" he asked, his eyes brightening.

"You'll see," she whispered, carrying him into the hut with her.

Inuyasha slumped his shoulders and followed them inside; unaware of the presence that had been watching him from the very beginning.

A young woman stood in a nearby tree, her bright yellow eyes very amused.

"He's such a fool," she whispered to a hawk that had landed on her shoulder.

Meanwhile, inside Kaede's hut, Kagome handed Shippo a bar of chocolate.

"Eep! Thanks Kagome!" he shouted with joy, ripping the foil apart to get to the delicious, sweet center.

Kagome knelt on the floor of the hut beside Inuyasha, who was sitting in his usual crossed-legged position against the wall.

"So Kagome…" Miroku began. "Have any idea where the remaining jewel shards are?"

Kagome thought for a moment but shook her head.

"I couldn't tell you just by sitting here, we need to go and look."

"Yes," Sango nodded.

"Keh!" Inuyasha snorted.

"Oh! That reminds me," Kagome cried, digging through her backpack and pulling out a container of ramen. "Here, Inuyasha."

His amber eyes lit up and he shot a quick smile at her, not noticing the blush that formed on Kagome's cheeks from it.

"It's a bit colder out today isn't it?" she said to her friends.

"Indeed, the season's are changing," Kaede nodded.

"I hate winter," Shippo hissed with a mouthful of chocolate. "It's too cold to play outside!"

"But you can play in the snow," Kagome explained. "Winter is my favorite season cause the whole area looks so peaceful and serene here. Winter is horrible in Tokyo; it's just a bunch of steel covered in white. I never used to like winter before I came here."

Inuyasha nodded with a mouthful of ramen before his ears flicked back toward the door flap. He could hear small cries from outside and smell the scent of a familiar woman.

"I'll be right back," he said, setting down his lunch and running out the door.

Everyone instantly looked at Kagome, who was looking down into the fire.

_He's gone to see Kikyo again. He forgot that he promised me that he wouldn't go and see her anymore,_ she thought sadly.

"It's okay Kagome," Shippo said encouragingly.

Sango and Miroku exchanged a quick glance but remained silent.

"I'm going for a walk," she mumbled, getting up and leaving the hut as well.

The young miko didn't follow Inuyasha though, she gave him the privacy he and Kikyo deserved, but she walked in the exact opposite direction, trying to escape from her thoughts of him.

_I can't just stop thinking about him though…I love him._

She rubbed her arm and looked around the forest, her sights landing on the Go-Shimboku. Kagome walked over and sat below it, looking at the few leaves still dangling from its branches and the lone hawk perched on it.

"He's sucha jerk, how can he sleep at night?!" she muttered, hugging her knees. Her eyes slowly opened and she looked blankly out ahead of her.

_He sleeps at night because he loves Kikyo and not me._

She had hoped that in the end, Inuyasha who choose her over Kikyo. But there was just no way that she could compete with her. She was a much better miko; much better fighter and Inuyasha never had to rescue _her_. She was even prettier than she was and smarter for sure. All around, it was obvious why Inuyasha loved Kikyo.

"Poor, poor, lonely Kagome," a woman sang.

Kagome picked her head up and watched as a demon appeared before her eyes. She was tall and had piercing yellow eyes. Her hair was long and brown and she wore a long purple kimono. She also noticed two large white and brown wings sprouting from her back like a bird.

"Inuyasha does not love you does he?" she pouted.

"Who are you?" she demanded, standing up.

The demon laughed, "You should not be the one asking questions."

The hawk that had been sitting in the tree rested on the demon's shoulder.

"I am Kasumi, the hawk demon," she explained, stroking the bird's neck. "And I'm here to seek revenge on Inuyasha."

"What did he do to you?"

"It wasn't him, but his father, the pathetic Inutaisho," she growled. "His accursed father killed my mother many years ago."

"Why?"

"We hunt humans of course and Inuyasha's father wasn't pleased when we decided to attack the village where his pregnant human mate lived. He killed my mother that night. And from then on I swore that I would get my revenge."

"It's not Inuyasha's fault!" Kagome shouted, standing up.

"I see that just like his father, Inuyasha has a thing for mortal women," Kasumi began to circle Kagome. "I don't see what they see in mortals. They're weak and pathetic and love too much. But," she grinned. "Unlike his father, Inuyasha has fallen in love with _two_ human women."

"You're wrong," Kagome's gave was unwavering. "Inuyasha doesn't love me."

"Silly girl, you are blind if you cannot see it. He loves you. And I'm going to kidnap you and that other dead woman he cares for."

"I'd like to see you try!" she said, feeling for her arrows but her eyes went wide when she realized that they were back in the village.

Kasumi laughed, "Not very bright are we girl? It should make this a lot easier," she looked at her hawk. "Tsubame darling, take care of her for me, will you?"

The hawk nodded and dove straight at Kagome, hitting the side of her head with his massive talons and knocking her unconscious.

Meanwhile...

"Kikyo…" Inuyasha said, taking a step back. "I can't do this."

"Why not?" the undead miko asked flatly.

"Kagome...I promised her that I wouldn't see you anymore."

Kikyo's eyes fell but she looked up, her gaze hard.

"You promised _me_ that you would go to hell with me."

"I know…but it's just, I-I…"

"You choose her don't you?"

Inuyasha sighed before looking up into her eyes. "Yes."

"I see," Kikyo nodded somberly. "No matter Inuyasha. You will go to hell with me one way or another."

"No Kikyo, I can't do this anymore, I'm sorry," he said, turning around to go back to the village. Once again, he didn't notice the presence that Kikyo now did.

Kasumi now appeared in front of Kikyo, her hawk her shoulder once more.

"Who are you?" Kikyo asked sternly.

The demon laughed again, "You do not scare me priestess. I am here to take you with me, now, let us be on our way."

Kikyo took out an arrow from her quiver and hooked it in her bow.

"You don't have any business with me, demon."

"Oh contraire Kikyo, I do. Now, don't make this any harder than it has to be."

Kikyo aimed her arrow at her heart, her eyes narrowed.

"Tsubame, do the honors for me," Kasumi asked her hawk, who dove up in the air and circled Kikyo a few times, knowing that the miko couldn't aim while he was flying. The moment that Kikyo released her arrow at his master instead of him, Tsubame charged and knocked the priestess out cold.

Kasumi chuckled and dove out of the way of the arrow like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"I thought that they would put up more of a fight, didn't you Tsubame?"

The hawk let out a tiny cry and nodded.

"Oh well, let's take her back."

Kagome opened her eyes to find darkness around her, the floor was cold beneath her and her head was pounding. She sat up and looked around, finding that she must be in a cave. No sooner did she see the ver hawk demon that had captured her returning with another captive. She flew in with easy grace and set an unconscious Kikyo down beside her.

"Kikyo?" Kagome asked breathlessly.

"I'm going to give Inuyasha a choice of who he wants to save. You or Kikyo. Whichever one he does not choose, I will kill. And don't bother trying to escape, I have put a barrier that only I can bring down," she turned and flew out of the cave with her hawk by her side the whole time.

The young girl looked down at Kikyo and saw the lump on her head. She must be a very powerful demon to bring Kikyo down, she figured. Just then, Kikyo stirred and Kagome took a few steps back from her.

Kikyo's brown eyes opened and the first thing she laid her eyes on were Kagome. She looked very pale and very scared.

"Kagome?" Her brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?"

"That demon took me," she explained, hanging her head.

Kikyo remembered that Inuyasha had told her that he had chosen the very girl that now knelt before her and all good thoughts toward the girl disappeared.

"Weak," she hissed, sitting up.

Kagome bit her lip and looked around. Kikyo had never insulted her before and it made her even more fearful that Inuyasha would choose her.

_Inuyasha must've planned to leave with her, which is why she's being like this._

"Do you know why we're here?" Kikyo asked.

"Mmhm," she nodded and the older girl looked at her. "The demon told me that she is going to force Inuyasha to choose one of us to save, me or you and which ever one he doesn't choose, she is going to kill."

Kikyo stared blankly at the girl for a few moments, trying to see if she was lying or not. But the look deep in Kagome's gray eyes told her that the girl was telling the truth.

"Don't worry," Kagome whispered, leaning against the wall of the cave. "He is going to choose you. He loves you."

_She has no idea how Inuyasha feels about her, does she?_ Kikyo thought somberly.

"You are a fool," Kikyo hissed, making Kagome look up. "He will not choose me. I am one of the dead while you are living."

"No. You are from this time; I'm an outsider. Besides, he cares for you so much more. He calls me names, makes fun of me…he's nice and soft when it comes to you."

"He is hiding his feelings. Don't you know that?"

Kagome shut her eyes to try and stop the tears from falling.

"He calls you names so you don't see how he feels. He is scared that you do not love him in return."

"Bull," Kagome snapped. "He loves you and doesn't love me, end of story."

"You are so naïve Kagome," Kikyo shook her head. "I don't see what he sees in you. I don't think that I ever will."

The two priestesses were silent for a long time after that, only having their thoughts to try and comfort them.

Inuyasha walked into Kaede's hut and sat down, not really registering that Kagome was gone until he sniffed the air for her scent and found only remnants of it.

"Where's Kagome?" he asked, his ears perking up.

"She went for a walk right after you left to see Kikyo," Sango said harshly.

"How long as she been gone?" he inquired.

"About ten minutes, nothing major…" Miroku shrugged. "She needs some time to think about the promise that you broke."

Inuyasha took that comment to his heart and it hurt. His ears flattened on top of his head and he looked down like a puppy being punished by its owner.

"I'm going to go look for her," he said, getting up.

"I dunno if you should," Sango interrupted. "She seemed pretty upset when she left."

"Keh, I'm going whether you like it or not," he gnarled, getting up and pushing the door flap aside, leaving the tajiiya, houshi, kitsune and miko alone.

He sniffed the air, trying to figure out where she had gone, finding that it led to the Scared Tree. He hoped that she was still there but after he had sprinted to the tree, he found that she wasn't. But one thing he did smell was the scent of a demon. His blood ran cold…she had been captured and he had been off with Kikyo when it happened.

"Finally figured it out, Inuyasha?" someone said behind him. He whirled around and came face to face with a beautiful hawk demon, her face calm and her wings folded gracefully on her back.

"What did you do to Kagome?" he growled, his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga.

She laughed and offered her arm to her hawk, which landed sinuously and stared at the dog demon with amused yellow eyes like it's mistress.

"She is safe I assure you, for now…" she added.

"If she's hurt I swear to God that I'll-,"

"Kikyo is with her," the demon interrupted.

"What?" His eyes went wide and he froze for a moment, staring at her blankly.

"I have captured Kikyo as well and they are both fine."

"Why?" his eyes narrowed.

"Your damned father, the _great_ Inutaisho, killed my mother many years ago for trying to kill your pathetic pregnant human mother. I watched your fucking father slaughter my mother like it was no big deal. I vowed that day to seek my revenge on the demon child

that she was carrying, and that child turned out to be you. And what luck I have to discover that you love not one mortal, but _two_. So…I'm going to give you a choice Inuyasha. Your first lover or your new flame. Both are important to you as I understand from watching you these past years but which is more important in your heart?"

"You son of a bitch," he yanked out his sword. "I'll fucking kill you!"

"I wouldn't if I were you. Only I know the whereabouts of Kikyo and Kagome and if you kill me, they will rot."

The hanyou stopped and sheathed his sword again. He couldn't risk losing Kagome.

"That's better," she laughed. "Hmm, I think I'll give you until sunset to decide. Remember, you can only choose one."

She spread out her amazing wings and flew away with her hawk by her side.

"Dammit!" he shouted, punching a nearby tree. "What the hell am I going to do?"

_This is all my fault…if I had just kept my promise to Kagome then everything would be okay. She would be safe back with the others and I would be finishing my ramen. Dammit why am I so stupid?!_

He looked up at the sky as a raindrop fell onto his cheek. Kagome had been right, it was raining and she didn't have an umbrella. He hoped that wherever she was, that she was dry and she wasn't hurt.

He arrived back in Kaede's hut a few short moments later, his face sullen and his heart heavy with grief.

"Inuyasha?" Kaede picked her head up. "What's wrong?"

He sat down in the shadows and stared at the fire intently, thinking about what he should do and how he was going to do it.

"Kagome probably didn't forgive him," Shippo grunted. Then he closed his eyes and waited for the hanyou to bop his head, but it never came. He opened one eye to find Inuyasha still sitting in the shadows, still looking depressed.

"What happened?" Miroku inquired.

"Kagome was kidnapped," he mumbled.

"What?! Why aren't you out looking for her?!" Sango shouted.

"It will be of no use. The demon that captured her has her hidden and has also taken Kikyo as well."

"Lady Kikyo? What does the demon want with them?" Miroku's brow creased.

"Revenge," Inuyasha said softly. "Against my father for killing her mother. She's giving me a choice of who to save Kagome or Kikyo. And I can't save both."

"Who are you going to pick?" Sango whispered.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "I wish that I could have both…" he said before a staff came in contact with the side of his head. He let out a loud yelp and clutched his head as he stared at the monk.

"Don't say that!" Miroku chided. "Kagome loves you more than anything and you can actually sit here and think about breaking her heart again? She was _crushed_ when you went to see Kikyo. If you want to be with Kikyo, then choose Kikyo, but don't put Kagome through such pains anymore."

"But I don't know if I want to be with Kikyo anymore!" he spat.

"Are you really going to choose Kikyo, Inuyasha?" Shippo questioned, staring up at him with wide, desperate green eyes.

"Keh, I don't know."

"We have no say in Inuyasha's choice, but whatever he chooses, he must think about what will happen to the other," Miroku said intelligently.

"Kagome has a family back home to worry about, and other friends and even us. Kikyo," Sango looked at Kaede. "No offense Kaede but she's undead, she's not living and only has her sister left in this world. It would be unfair to end Kagome's life."

"I understand. Kagome has her whole life left to live…" Kaede nodded.

"Stop making me feel bad, dammit!" Inuyasha barked. "I'll choose whoever I wanna choose so get over it!"

They were all silent for a long time after that, looking down at the dying fire and wondering just what was going to happen.

_I knew it was going to rain…_ Kagome thought as she looked out the entrance to the cave.

Her eyes then settled on Kikyo, who was sitting calmly as always, her long black hair clean and didn't have a hair out of place while her own was tousled and starting to frizz from the rain. Why was Kikyo so goddamn perfect?

"You seem troubled," Kikyo said quietly to the younger girl.

"Troubled? Oh why would I be troubled?" she said sarcastically. "I'm only going to die alone in this freaking cave."

"You are not going to die so stop acting like a child," Kikyo said sternly.

"Who are you kidding? You know as well as I do that Inuyasha is going to choose you! I'm only the reincarnation! Only Kagome, only second best. You're Kikyo, you're the better miko, the better fighter, you're smarter, you're stronger, you're prettier, you have everything while I have nothing."

Kikyo sighed, "If you do not see why Inuyasha loves you then I will not waste my time talking to you."

"There's nothing to love about me when he has someone like you!" she cried.

Kikyo remained silent, only staring out the cave as it began to pour.

Kagome growled and hugged her knees again.

_I'm going to die in here…this is it. I'm never going to see my mom or grandpa or Sota or any of my friends again…I'll never even get to tell Inuyasha that I love him. Maybe I was better off just dating Hojo, sure is a lot safer and I know he won't break my heart or go behind my back to see his dead lover. I choose the harder of the two, don't I? Even Kouga wouldn't hurt me like this. He only loves one woman and he would sure as heck protect me. So why do I continue to pain myself like this?_

"Because I love him…" she whispered to herself aloud.

"Excuse me?" Kikyo said, looking over at her.

"The reason I feel so crappy right now… the reason why I'm so jealous of you Kikyo… it's all because I love Inuyasha."

"I figured that," she said coolly.

"And no matter what I do, I can't stop. I might as well stop breathing before I stop loving him. And I'm going to die and he's never going to know…"

"You need to calm down, Kagome," Kikyo said gently. The first time she had spoken nicely to the girl since they arrived together. "Inuyasha will choose who he sees that he cares for most, whether that be me, or you. We must sit here and wait for something to happen. So going on like that will be of no help."

Kagome bit her lip and nodded slowly, wishing that she were back at home underneath the blankets of her bed. Maybe she would wake up and this would all be a dream. Inuyasha wouldn't be real and her well wasn't magical and she was just Kagome Higurashi. But something deep inside her told her that it was real and that the possibility that she might die was really there.

_I should've stayed home for another day…_

Inuyasha went for a run outside as it continued to pour, just to try and clear his mind as all his memories of being with Kikyo and being with Kagome flooded through his mind.

He remembered how Kikyo had tripped on the dock so many years ago and he had caught her. That was the day that they had first kissed and the day that he decided that he would become a human for her.

But then another memory came in, a memory of Kagome. The night that he had been poisoned by the spider demon a few years ago. It had been the first night that she had seen him human and he had rested his head in her lap. He figured that that was the night that he fallen in love with her. It was much more than a crush, it had meant so much more.

"Shit, I don't know what I'm going to do…"

But then…he remembered how Kikyo and he were such a great team when it came to slaying demons. Her miko powers were extremely powerful and he was great with his hands as well.

But Kagome was the reason that he came to possess Tetsusaiga. She was the reason that he could make it transform the reason why he hadn't turned into a full demon all those times. How could he just forget that?

Yet, he loved Kikyo first. He kissed her first.

Well, he had yet to kiss Kagome so that one didn't count.

But he loved Kagome now. And he loved her more than he ever did Kikyo.

He was just thankful that he hadn't taken Kikyo at all. Not that she would've let him to begin with.

Kagome would, wouldn't she? She said before that she liked him as a hanyou. The way he was…so did that mean that she would want to be his mate?

Kikyo wanted him to be human.

Kagome wants him to stay a half demon.

Neither wants him to be a full demon.

And to be honest, neither did he anymore. He just wanted Kagome to be safe.

_I want _Kagome_ to be safe. I keep thinking about _Kagome's_ safety and not Kikyo's. But that's because I know Kikyo can take care of herself. I don't' need to worry about her._

See, a tiny voice in his head screamed, that's why you should pick Kikyo! She knows how to defend herself. You're always saving Kagome.

_Yeah…but I kinda like saving her. I like knowing that I'm the reason that's she's safe. _

You're also the reason that she's in danger in the first place!

_I don't deserve to have Kagome. She's so sweet and so loving. She doesn't deserve a hanyou like me…she deserves a male that will offer her the world. Even Kouga…_

He balled up his hands into fists.

Maybe not Kouga…

He looked up at the sky, discovering that it was finally sunset. Had he really spent all day running around trying to think?

"Hmm, thinking are we Inuyasha?" Kasumi's voice rang in his ears.

He picked his head up and saw the hawk demon hovering in the air above him.

"Shuddup!" he growled.

"Would you like me to tell you how your bitches are doing? Kikyo is calm and collected while Kagome is falling apart at the seams. The last is worried, well; she's convinced that she is going to die. She knows that you will choose Kikyo and she sees no point in thinking, no point in hoping that you love her."

His jaw dropped, Kagome didn't know how he felt! He knew that, but he had no idea that she had such little confidence that he _cared_ about her. Of course he cared about her! He fucking loved her!

_But I told Kikyo that I chose her…Ha! Why would Kikyo tell that to Kagome? Why would she bother to tell her that she was going to be okay because the reason that I had gone to see her was to tell her that I chose Kagome?_

"Have you made a decision half demon?" Kasumi asked impatiently.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Good. Let's go."

Kagome was now officially freezing.

The sun had gone down and it continued to rain mercilessly and Kikyo was still as calm as she had been in the very beginning and it was wearing on Kagome's nerves.

_How can she sit here like this?! How can she not be worried?! Oh yeah…cause she knows that Inuyasha will choose her. How could I forget?_

Her body was shivering uncontrollably when Kikyo looked over at her.

"You wouldn't be so cold if you had on the right clothes," she said curtly, eyeing the girl's ridiculously short green skirt and long sleeved blouse.

Kagome looked up and blinked at the older miko.

_Whatever._

A small clicking sound brought both the mikos' gazes up to the entrance of the cave. They watched as the clear pink barrier that had been put over the cave disappeared and the demon that had imprisoned them appeared in the entrance.

"Inuyasha has made his choice," she said flatly.

Kagome held her breath and bit her lip, waiting for her to say Kikyo's name.

Kasumi looked from Kikyo to Kagome and she knew instantly why he had chosen who he did.

"Kikyo, follow me," Kasumi ordered sharply.

Kagome felt hot tears form in her eyes as Kikyo shot her one last look before standing up. Inuyasha had chosen Kikyo.

The younger girl burst out into tears and sobbed hysterically into her knees as Kasumi led Kikyo out of the cave.

_He really _did_ choose Kikyo. I hope he's happy with her…_

Inuyasha stood at the entrance to the cave, his ears flat against his head as he listened to Kagome's crying. It broke his heart to hear her so upset. This was his choice, he had decided upon this and there was no going back now.

He took a step into the cave and closed his eyes as Kagome's sobs got louder.

"It's not fair…I loved him so much and he just forgot about me!" she shouted in the darkness of the cave.

"Kagome?" he said softly, calling out to her.

She froze and looked up at the soaking wet hanyou before her.

"Here to say goodbye?" she replied coldly.

"Kagome it's not what you think…" he began.

"Please don't make this hard for me. Just tell me that you chose Kikyo and let me die here seeing as that's what you want!"

"You're being stupid Kagome!" he yelled back. "I never wanted you to die! That's why I chose you!"

"I'm so sick of your lies Inuyasha! Leave me alone," she said, turning away from him.

"Godammit Kagome," he knelt in front of her and grabbed her shoulders roughly. "I fucking chose you! Kasumi is going to kill Kikyo because I don't love her!"

Kagome's eyes were shiny and moist with tears as they looked into his glowing amber ones. His thumb came up to wipe a stray tear away and she blinked at him.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered.

"Kagome, I chose you because I love you," his tone was much gentler.

"You don't mean that," she looked down.

He sighed and titled her chin up to stare into her eyes.

"I mean every word I say to you right now Kagome. I love you and I wanna be with you forever. I don't feel for Kikyo what I feel for you and I don't wanna ever lose you. Please believe me Kagome, I chose you over Kikyo."

Her eyes went wide in realization and she began crying again, this time they were relieved tears. Relieved that she wasn't going to die here, relieved that Inuyasha loved her and relieved that she loved him too.

"Well," she looked up at him, her face blotchy from crying. "What now?"

"This," he whispered tenderly, bringing his lips down on hers and kissing her.

Kagome melted against him and wrapped her arms tight around his neck as his own arms wrapped around her waist.

"See that Kikyo," Kasumi murmured to the undead priestess. "He loves Kagome."

Kikyo was silent as she watched her love kiss another woman. She would never show it on the outside but on the inside her heart was breaking. She had thought that when Kasumi had said her name that Inuyasha had changed his mind and chosen her but the moment that she saw Inuyasha walk past her and toward the cave, she knew.

_He really does love her…_

Kasumi then unsheathed a sword that had been hanging from her obi and, with one, smooth fluent motion, Kikyo was dead. The souls that had inhabited her body flew away and in a matter of seconds, her remains had dissolved into the soil.

"That was too easy," the demon murmured before looking inside the cave at the kissing hanyou and miko. "He doesn't deserve to be happy… He loves a mortal woman, nothing good can come out of their relationship."

She walked up to the entrance to the cave and coughed to draw their attention away from each other's mouths.

"You are foolish indeed half demon if you think that I will just let you run off into the sunset with that mortal you love so much. You're forgetting, your father killed my mother and while I did kill one of the women you love, you still have the one in your arms. So, I'll let you be together, but I won't let you leave."

She set up another barrier blocking the exit to the cave and flew off into the rain, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha alone in the cave.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome looked up at him desperately.

He glanced down at her and saw the look she was giving him. She was asking him to save them, to get them out of this place.

_I can try Kagome…that's all…_he thought as he released her and walked to the exit of the cave. He put his hand against the barrier and it instantly shocked him, sending him flying backwards.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome ran over to his side.

"I'm fine," he insisted, standing up.

"Maybe I can break it," the girl said, walking over to it now. She closed her eyes and channeled all of her spiritual powers on breaking through the barrier before her. The miko then placed her hand against it as Inuyasha had done.

Inuyasha watched as the barrier wavered for a moment but then sent an even stronger shock straight through the girl, sending her backwards as well.

Inuyasha caught her and held her for a moment as she regained her balance.

"Are you all right?" he asked gently.

Kagome nodded and he set her down again. Then she looked down at his hand and found a small burn on it.

"You're hand…" she whispered.

Inuyasha shook his head, "It's okay," then he saw hers as well, only her burn was much larger. He grabbed her hand in his and examined it. "Does it hurt?"

Kagome shook her head but he knew she was lying. He also felt her hand shaking. Was she cold or scared? He figured it was the first since her hand was like ice.

"Here," he took off his haori and draped it over her shoulders. "You're going to get sick."

She nodded and wrapped the robe tightly around herself, taking in his scent.

The hanyou then unsheathed his mighty sword and held it in front of him.

"Stay back," he said to Kagome over his shoulder. He closed his eyes and the silver sword instantly turned a swirling red color. He opened his eyes and raised the katana over his head, "Windscar!"

The sword crashed down and sent yellow sparks out at the barrier. While it faltered for a short moment, it was back up within half a second.

"Dammit!" he swore loudly. "I thought that that would work!"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome began.

"Hm?"

"D-do you think that we could try what we did before? In the demon's stomach?"

"What? Use a jewel shard to make Tetsusaiga stronger?"

"Mmhm," she nodded.

"I don't know if I could handle it again…"

"I can hold onto you," she suggested, her cheeks pink.

He looked down into her eyes and saw all the love and trust that he so adored in her. "Let's try it then," he agreed.

Kagome took out a shard from the vile around her neck and handed it to him. He placed it against his sword and fused the two together. It worked, but Inuyasha once again felt the demonic power from the shard spread into his body but he was able to keep it at bay when he felt Kagome's arms wrap around his torso.

"You can do it, Inuyasha," she whispered.

While his cheeks adorned the usual purple stripe his eyes were still amber, but thicker, like Sesshomaru's. He raised his red Tetsusaiga at the barrier and used his Windscar once more, sending the hot flashes of light toward it. It hit the barrier dead on and it smashed.

It worked.

"Kagome," he said calmly to her. "Look."

Kagome looked up and saw that the barrier was gone.

"It worked!" she squeaked.

"C'mon," he grabbed her hand and ran out of the cave with her running behind him. The moment they were outside, they were drenched in rain and Kagome was shivering like crazy. "Can you take the shard out?" he asked in his deep, scratchy, full demon voice (AN: I always thought that he sounded sexy when he was a full demon, maybe that's just me being weird, but I did!).

The miko nodded and gently put her hand on the katana, pulling out the shard and placing it back in her vile. Inuyasha shook his head and he was back to normal.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He turned and kissed her chastely.

"I'm fine. What about you?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I think so."

"Let's go and take care of your hand," he took her unburned hand in his and they proceeded to walk back to the village.

But then, there was a loud crack of thunder and something swooped down and picked Kagome clean off the ground. It was Tsubame, Kasumi's pet hawk.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted to her.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed, feeling the hawk's talons dig into her shoulders. "Let me go you stupid bird!"

He did as she told and dropped her several yards away from where Inuyasha stood only to be caught by Kasumi.

"I had a feeling that you would be able to escape," she said to the half demon.

"Gimme Kagome back," he growled.

Kasumi looked at the squirming girl and knocked the back of her head, knocking her out cold and she went limp.

"You can have her body back after I kill her," she said sweetly.

Inuyasha unsheathed his sword again, "Gimme my mate back, dammit!"

"Mate? Oh you actually think that she wants to be with you?" she taunted.

"Yeah, I do," he said darkly, a blue smoke swirling around his katana. "And I swear, if you lay a hand on her…"

Kasumi laughed, "I will not be the one to kill her, Tsubame!"

The hawk swooped down again, aiming his large, deadly talons at the miko, ready to kill but Inuyasha was quicker and he jumped up and sliced his claws clean through the bird.

"TSUBAME!!!" Kasumi screamed, as it not only rained water, but hawk guts as well. "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Inuyasha stood, poised and ready with Tetsusaiga in his hands, his eyes solely focused on Kagome's unconscious body in the arms of the demoness.

_I'll save her. I'll die before I let that monster hurt her._

And he would die for her without a second thought.

Kasumi readied her own deadly claws at the miko's neck and shot her flaming yellow eyes at Inuyasha.

"I will kill her right now, if you don't sheath that sword half breed," she snarled.

Inuyasha reluctantly put his mighty sword away but still stood ready to attack in order to protect what was his.

He then watched as Kagome began to stir again, his face went a little tight with worry. What if Kasumi decided to kill her when she woke up? There was no way that he could bear to watch his love be murdered in front of his face.

Her gray eyes fell on Inuyasha and she blinked helplessly at him. She then turned and looked up at Kasumi, who was eyeing Inuyasha with death and revenge in her eyes.

A thought then popped into her head. It might cost her, her life but she hoped to God that it would work and it wouldn't come down to that.

_If I can use my miko powers, I just might be able to defeat her._

Kagome channeled all of her energy and raised her one arm. It was then that Kasumi looked down at the girl and bared her teeth. Kagome chose this moment to smash her hand into the demon's face, burning it with her raw energy.

"AAAHHH!" Kasumi screamed as the skin on her pale face sizzled. This caused her to drop Kagome and the girl landed on her back onto the ground that was covered with soft brown leaves.

Inuyasha was by her side in a heartbeat, his arms lifting her up and wrapping securely around her as he watched Kasumi's skin peel off her face. She thrashed around for a long time until Inuyasha decided to put her out of her misery. He set Kagome down and ran his claws through the demon's skin, ripping her to shreds. He wiped off the black blood onto the ground and then returned to Kagome's side.

"Kagome, are you okay?" he asked softly, sitting her up.

"I think so…is she dead?" she inquired.

"Yes, she's dead. And it's all because of you," he said proudly.

"But you just killed her…"

"Yeah, but you were the one who weakened her. I had no idea what to do when she had you in her grasp. But you thought and were able to free yourself long enough so I could deliver the final blow."

Kagome felt the back of her head and felt a large bump, making her wince.

"She hit you," he stated.

"Yeah, but I'll be fine," she assured him.

"God Kagome," he hugged her tightly to him. "I thought that I was going to lose you. I couldn't bare the thought of that happening…"

His grasp on her tightened even more at the thought of someone taking her life, his life. There was no way in hell that she would die and leave him. She was going to become his mate and stay by his side forever.

"Inuyasha? Are you okay?" Kagome looked up at him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he heaved her up and took her hand again, leading her back to the village.

Kagome looked down at their joined hands and smiled. Her small hand fit so perfectly in his large one that it was impossible to see that they weren't meant to hold each other. She wondered how she didn't see it before, when they had held hands before so many years ago.

_Because he loved Kikyo then, silly._

_But he loves me now._

And that's all Kagome ever wanted.

* * *

i'm done! hooary for me! reviews are always welcome if you so wish to write one. 


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